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This is a reprint of articles from the Special Issue published online in the open access journal Animals (ISSN 2076-2615) (available at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/animals/special issues/ In vitro digestibility).

This review outlines the current state of knowledge on the nutritive value of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.). The popularity of this plant, which is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Ranunculaceae family and is native to Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, is due to its beneficial actions. Black cumin has many therapeutic effects and is considered one of the most important medicinal plants in the world because of its antioxidant, anticoccidial, anthelminthic and antimicrobial activities. The nutritive value of black cumin is result of its carbohydrate, fatty acid, protein contents as well as its several bioactive compounds. The seeds or their byproducts can be used in feeds for farm animals, with positive effects on the compositional characteristics of eggs, milk and meat.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) is a pseudocereal of Andean origin that is becoming more and more popular also in Europe, Asia and the United States of America because is a good source of different nutrients, rich in antioxidants compounds and it offers an alternative to classical cereals in celiac diet because its seeds are gluten-free. Concerning its employment in food application, quinoa-derived products have been successfully employed in the preparation of different foods as fat/cream substitutes and to enhance the quality of baked foods. This book aims to review recent advances in the quinoa plant cultivation as well the nutritional properties and effects on human health of quinoa-derived products. Chapter 1 - In the last years consumers manifested a strong interest about quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd., 2n=4x=36 tetraploid). This species originating from south America owes its appeal to two main reasons: the well balanced aminoacidic composition of its around 13% of protein content and the absence of gluten. Such positive features, among many others, suggest quinoa as suitable aliment for celiac, vegan and it is strongly recommended for weaning. The skyrocketing request of such product and the limited production all over the world pushed up its price, suggesting also to our farmers such species as possible and more remunerative alternative to the conventional crops. For these reasons experiments to adapt such crop to the Italian agricultural system were planned and this paper reports results and ideas formulated on this field in ten years of observations. The activity performed spanned from the morphofenological evaluation of different accessions collected all over the world, but all originated from south America, to the evaluation of their agronomical performances both with experimental field trial both with open field test. A particular attention was devoted to the mechanization of the crop and the traits the plants need to show for that purpose. The strategies genetic research should adopt on this crop will be discussed. Chapter 2 - Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) is recognized for its nutritional quality, adaptation to marginal soils and extreme climates, and drought and salinity tolerances. These qualities make quinoa a valuable alternative crop for marginal lands in the Peruvian Coast. However, to achieve economic yield and quality, it is required to use adapted varieties to coastal conditions and know the duration of crops phase development and the cumulative growth degree-days (GDD) for each of them. This knowledge will improve the optimal scheduling of the planting date and the agronomic practices contributing to improve yield and quality. The study was made on three different growing seasons with a wide group of quinoa varieties, collected in different environments, in field conditions at the Peruvian central coast- La Molina. Germination, vegetative development, formation of side shoots (ramification) and inflorescence primordia, inflorescence development, flowering, anthesis, seed development, seed maturation and physiological maturity were described and variation among the genotypes of valley and altiplano ecotypes were observed. The total life cycle of the valley type and Altiplano type during season October 2007 March 2008 had a range of 83 to 190 days and 93 to 122 days; respectively. On season October 2011 - March 2012, the total life cycle of the valley type and Altiplano type had a range of 152 to 203 days and 97 to 176 days; respectively. On season June - December 2013, the total life cycle of the varieties required different GDD, in general associated with the life cycle. Chapter 3 - The changes in the antioxidative capacity and phenolic compounds content in the aerial part of the quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) plant during its growth cycle were analysed. These parameters were evaluated at six progressive morphological stages from the early vegetative to the grain fill stage. The extracts obtained from the early and late vegetative stage were characterized by the highest content of total phenolic compounds. In the first three stages of growth high values of the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) were determined. The lowest value of ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was observed in the early vegetative stage. The highest antiradical activity against DPPH radical was noted for extract obtained from late vegetative plants. The profile of phenolic compounds was characterized by the presence of five compounds. Based on UV-DAD spectra, one was described as p-coumaric acid derivative, the other four as flavonols. Chapter 4 - The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional value and content of some bioactive compounds in three Andean native grains: quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), kañiwa (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) and kiwicha (Amaranthus caudatus L.). Six quinoa, one kañiwa and three kiwicha ecotypes were collected in Peru. The proximate composition, dietary fiber, pentosans, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, profile of flavonoids, phytosterols, fatty acids and amino acids were determined. Tocopherol, folic acid and some mineral content were also analyzed. All Andean grains had very good composition of essential amino acids, which indicates that they could be used in the nutrition of children and individuals in need of high quality plant proteins. Lysine is the one of the most important amino acids and it is the first limiting amino acid in common cereals. The content of this amino acid in kañiwa and in pink kiwicha samples was especially high. Chapter 5 - Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) belongs to the group of crops that are known as pseudocereals and it is a native of the Andean region. Quinoa has also been used in many countries as a grain, forage or silage crop for animals. Although claims of a nutritionally favorable quality of quinoa seed have been made, only limited information is available on the evolution of the chemical composition in the whole plant at different growth stages. The aim of this review is to highlight the potentialities of quinoa in animal nutrition, that is, for cattle, chickens, pigs, rabbits and laboratory animals, in order to increase the knowledge of this plant, and to encourage its use as an alternative protein and fibre source and as a source of important bioactive components (essential fatty acids, flavonoids, stanols, tocopherols, tocotrienols, carotenoids and squalene). Chapter 6 - Quinoa has a unique amino acid, carbohydrate, lipid, and micronutrient profile, with biological value higher than cereals. The relatively low concentration of antinutritional factors allows the use of quinoa without preliminary treatments, however the removal of the external layer of saponins through washing or mechanical dehulling is required. Overall, fermentation is widely recognized as a tool to improve the nutritional and functional properties of grains, flours and derived processed products, due to the increase of the bioavailability of free amino acids, dietary fibres, minerals, polyphenols and bioactive peptides and the decrease, through microbial metabolism, of the antinutritional compounds impact. Technological, nutritional and sensory quality of quinoa can be improved through lactic acid bacteria fermentation, obtaining fermented ingredients to be used for the fortification of either conventional or novel foods, like wheat-based products. Within this frame, the choice of the appropriate starter culture, which significantly affect the functional, nutritional and sensory properties of the product, is still challenging. Chapter 7 - Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a pseudocereal from the Andean region of Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, recognized for its high nutritional value. Some nutritional properties that make quinoa attractive to produce bread are its excellent source of protein, fatty acids, fiber, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, flavonoids and phenolic compounds, together with its high content of carbohydrates, comparable to wheat. In this context, quinoa is considered an example of functional food, and an interesting ingredient in bread making. Also, quinoa is gluten-free, and, consequently, can be consumed by people who have celiac disease. The industry has already been using quinoa as an ingredient for gluten-free bread. The importance of quinoa for its nutritional aspects makes it a very promising crop. Nowadays, several studies in the scientific literature show the improvement of bread quality, and how the addition of quinoa in a blend with other flours modified quality characteristics of rheological dough properties, texture, and specific volume of bread. The enrichment of the wheat bread with quinoa is an effective solution to improve the antioxidant potential of the final product. Recently, quinoa sourdough fermentation applied to produce bread with acceptable sensory properties, texture, nutritional values and prolonged the bread shelf life. Another application for quinoa is its use in gluten-free bread; this grain improved technological properties such as viscosity, and the amount of 15-20% of quinoa flour produced a good consumer acceptance. Quinoa has also attracted attention due to its hypoglycemic effect. Consequently, gluten-free bread elaborated with quinoa can also contain low glycemic index compared to traditional formulations with starches and rice flour. The use of quinoa in gluten-free bread opens new opportunities to the gluten-free bakery industry, showing possibilities in developing gluten-free bread for a group of the population with special needs, such as people with celiac disease or gluten intolerant, with higher nutritional properties. Chapter 8 - Chenopodium quinoa Willd or quinoa is a pseudocereal from South America that is becoming more and more interesting in Europe, Asia and the United States because it is a good source of different nutrients, it is rich in antioxidants compounds and it offers an alternative to normal cereals in coeliac diet because its seeds are gluten-free. Although a lot of studies focus on the advantage of consuming alternative products rich in fiber, a few studies document the changes that affected food products due to the inclusion of fiber alternatives, such as inulin, a linear fructose polysaccharide with variable degree of polymerization (DP), that also has beneficial effects on human health. Currently, the inulin used is extracted exclusively from chicory roots and is characterized by a DP of about 20 units of fructose. Considerable quantities of inulin are extractable from the roots of Cynara cardunculus L., characterized by a high DP up to 100 units of fructose. We have focused on determining the quality characteristics of cereal-based foods enriched with quinoa flour and inulin with different degree of polymerization in order to obtain new fortified breads and pasta with lowering glicemic index effect. Chapter 9 - The demand for gluten-free products is booming worldwide due to the increase of gluten-related disorders (GRD) and also due to a high number of consumers who are following a gluten-free diet (GFD) without a specific diagnosis needing a gluten withdrawal from the diet. The lack of gluten in products can lead to foods without adequacy on nutritional, sensorial and technological quality aspects. For this reason, some studies have been attempting to develop healthier gluten-free products, considering other aspects of quality (sensory and technological) to help promoting quality of life for people who need to follow the GFD. In this context, quinoa has been studied as a gluten/wheat substitute on gluten-free products. Chapter 10 - Prevalence of adverse reactions to many ingredients has increased the "special foods" market. Among common food related disorders, reaction to cow milk is the most prevalent. Cow milk reactions include allergies and lactose intolerance, reaching almost 80% of the worldwide population's intolerance. There are some milk substitutes in the market, based on cereals, legumes, and nuts or modified cow milk, as lactose-free milk. Some of these products present limitations as milk replacer because of their allergenic potential; some of them present high glycemic or low protein content; and others are not fully accepted by consumers. In this context, quinoa has been studied as milk substitute on dairy products since it presents a good source of protein and low glycemic index. Chapter 11 - Inhibition of microbial activity in chilled fish was investigated. For it, an aqueous/ethanolic saponin-free quinoa extract was added to the icing system and applied to lean (megrim, Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis; 0.03 and 0.12 g lyophilized quinoa L-1 icing solution) and fatty (Atlantic chub mackerel, Scomber colias; 0.05 and 0.20 g lyophilized quinoa L-1 icing solution) fish. Microbial development was monitored for a 13-day chilled storage period by microbial and chemical indices. An inhibitory effect (p < 0.05) of the quinoa extracts present in the icing systems on microbial development in megrim (aerobe counts, pH and free fatty acid value) and mackerel (aerobe, psychrotroph, proteolytic and lipolytic counts; pH and free fatty acid values) was observed when considering the most concentrated presence of quinoa in the icing system. A novel icing system is proposed to obtain improvement in the quality of both lean and fatty fish species during commercialization under chilled conditions. Chapter 12 - Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is an annual herbaceous plant species of the Chenopodiaceae family. It can adapt to different types of soil and climatic conditions. Young leaves, besides grains, are used as human food. Quinoa was a major food crop of the pre-Columbian cultures in Latin America for more than 4000 years. It is a pseudocereal crop, a dicotyledon plant looks like a grain, but not a member of the grass family. Quinoa grains are naturally gluten-free, low in sodium and rich in fiber and protein. Quinoa proteins contain all nine essential amino acids making it a complete-protein source, therefore they can replace animal proteins in the human diet. Moreover, quinoa has vitamins, essential fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acid), saponins, phytosterols, phytoecdysteroids, peptides, flavonoids, phenolic acids and betaines. Several different beneficial effects are ascribed to quinoa, among these: immunoadjuvant, prebiotic, hypocholesterolemic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effect and cancer reduction activity.

In this study, the changes in the antioxidative capacity and phenolic compounds content in the aerial part of the quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) plant during its growth cycle were analysed. These parameters were evaluated at six progressive morphological stages from the early vegetative to the grain fill stage. The extracts obtained from the early and late vegetative stage were characterized by the highest content of total phenolic compounds. In the first three stages of growth high values of the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) were determined. The lowest value of ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was observed in the early vegetative stage. The highest antiradical activity against DPPH radical was noted for extract obtained from late vegetative plants. The profile of phenolic compounds was characterized by the presence of five compounds. Based on UV-DAD spectra, one was described as p-coumaric acid derivative, the other four as flavonols.

The aim of this study has been to investigate the efficiency of NIR scanning to detect differences related to the chemical composition, gross energy, in vitro apparent digestibility (DMD) and relative feed value (RFV) of leaves and green pruning residues (GPRs) of eleven red grapevine cultivars (Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Canaiolo Nero, Carignan Noir, Grenache, Lambrusco Salamino, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Syrah) and five white grapevine cultivars (Malvasia Bianca, Moscato Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdicchio and Vernaccia). Vibrational analyses were performed on lyophilized samples in reflectance mode using an NIR-SCÏOTM molecular sensor, that is, a miniaturized web-based device that operates over the 740-1070 nm NIR range. The present study demonstrates that the RFV of the considered grape leaves is 22.5% higher than that of the grape GPRs. This feed value may be predicted by means of NIR spectroscopy of the lyophilized samples; however, such information could also easily be approximated through a rapid NIR tomoscopy of adequate samples of intact leaves. Foliar moisture could be predicted by means of NIR tomoscopy of intact leaves, after the grape dataset has been enlarged appropriately. A concerted elaboration of the chemical and digestibility analyses leads to a significant compositional fingerprint of the sixteen cultivars studied here. NIR tomoscopy can be used to rapidly classify the phenotypes, since other physico-chemical information that is not revealed by means of the usual analyses are incorporated in the electromagnetic spectrum. Other key biological properties (polyphenols, antioxidants, stress reaction, etc.) that are prospected for precision agriculture purposes could be revealed by a rapid NIR scan and perhaps even through remote NIR sensing.

Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is grown extensively as a leafy vegetable and for grains for human consumption in Central America, Asia and Africa. It has also been used in many countries as a grain, forage or silage crop for many animals, including cattle, chickens, pigs and rabbits. The aim of this review is to highlight the potentialities of amaranth in animal nutrition, in order to increase the knowledge of this plant and to allow its use in animal nutrition as an alternative protein and fibre source and as a bioactive component (essential fatty acids, flavonoids, stanols, tocotrienols and squalene) source.

The use of silages or haylages is a valid alternative to hays in ruminant nutrition, because the nutritive value of these products is usually better than hay forages and similar to that of the original grass when the conservation process has been conducted correctly. The present knowledge concerning silage quality, in relation to the wilting degree and ensilability characteristics of some grass silages or haylages, has been studied in depth in this work for the following crops: lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pretense L.), sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.), galega (Galega officinalis L.), foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and chia (Salvia hispanica L.).

In the last few decades, disagreement between opinions and findings concerning the ability of palmitic acid (PA) and other saturated fatty acids (SFAs) to raise cholesterolaemia has led to discussions on whether PA, which has been positively related to high serum cholesterol levels, could increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to review the PA content of meat, dairy products, fish, and other food of animal origin in the human diet and discusses nutritional issues related to the occurrence of this fatty acid (FA) in these foods due to different diet supplementation. Meat and dairy products are considerable dietary sources of SFAs, such as PA. In most industrialized countries, a high meat or dairy intake contributes to a higher than recommended SFA intake. Palmitic and myristic acids are common FAs in meat and dairy products, making up about 30-40% of total FA intake and are the main factors responsible for raising cholesterol levels; indeed, strong evidence indicates that these two SFAs increase serum cholesterol concentrations in humans. Stearic acid is partially converted to oleic acid in vivo and has not been shown to elevate blood cholesterol, while lauric acid is not as potent as PA at raising concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in humans. The occurrence of PA in animal origin food is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, such as the composition of the animal's diet, its digestive system and its biosynthetic processes. The FA profile in food of animal origin mainly reflects dietary lipid sources and has the potential to play a valuable role in human nutrition by manipulating the composition of animal fat through diet. In order to explain the variability in FA composition in food of animal origin, this review examines different nutrition trials that have studied the effects of PA supplementation on the lipid profile of animal origin food.

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is used in many countries as a grain, forage or silage crop for many animals, including cattle, sheep and goats. The aim of this review is to reveal the potential benefits of safflower in animal nutrition. The nutritional properties of safflower forage, hay, silage, seed and cake are described here in order to increase knowledge on the chemical composition, in vitro organic matter digestibility, gross energy and nutritive value of the plant during growth, of the crop submitted to different forage preservation methods (wilting, drying and ensiling) and of the seed, to allow its use in animal nutrition as an alternative fibre and protein source, and as a source of bioactive components (fatty acids and phenolic compounds, including serotonins, flavonoids and lignans).

The aim of this study was to determine the total polyphenol content in the aerial part of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), during its growth cycle from the late vegetative to early flowering stages, in order to identify the richest growth stage, in terms of antioxidants, and therefore the most potentially favourable, in an attempt to contribute to the use of this plant's extracts as alternative antioxidants. Samples were extracted with methanol, and evaluated for their radical scavenging activities against ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). The total phenolic compound (TPC) was determined using Folin-Ciocalteu's phenol reagent on extracts from ground samples, with an 80:20 (v/v) methanol:water at a solid-to-solvent ratio of 1:10 (w/v). All the chemical determinations were performed in triplicate. Data were analyzed by means of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The TPC content of the extracts ranged from 48.6 to 71.1 mg Catechin eq./g extract. The TEAC content ranged from 0.275 to 0.334 mmol Trolox eq./ g extract, while the FRAP content ranged from 0.730 to 1.108 mmol Fe2+/g extract. The profile of the phenolic compounds, determined by means of a DAD-HPLC system, was characterized by the presence of six compounds. On the basis of UV-DAD spectra, these compounds were described as caffeic acid, quercetin and luteoin-7-O-glucoside derivatives.

Introduction: The relationship between baby's diet and disease prevention has promoted interest in improving the nutritional quality of animal food products through nutritional strategies. Particular attention has been paid to the fat composition, especially in the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that elicit several nutritional benefits on consumer health. However, the increase in the degree of FAs unsaturation of these products without adequate antioxidant protection, reduces the oxidative stability resulting in a decrease of shelf life and quality (González-Esquerra and Leeson 2001). In monogastric animals, the amount of PUFAs in tissues can be increased by increasing dietary levels of PUFAs (Woods and Fearon 2009). Chicken is the meat most appreciated among children and it is considered a healthy product by consumers because of its nutritional characteristics. Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) seeds (PS) are a good source of natural antioxidants and are generally considered to be agro-industrial wastes. With the purpose of increasing the nutritional quality of the chicken meat, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of two dietary fats (lard and flax seed oil) and PS supplementation on FAs profile and oxidative stability of meat, assuming that flax seed oil in the diet could result in an increase of oxidation in fresh meat, while PS could protect broiler meat from this effect. Materials & Methods: Ninety-six 64 d-old broilers were randomly distributed into four groups of 24 broilers each (eight per cage, three cages per treatment) and fed a lard diet (LF), a LF diet supplemented with 50 g PS/kg, a flax seed oil diet (FSO) and a FSO diet supplemented with 50 g PS/kg for 49 d. Broilers were then slaughtered according to current standards (EC Regulation 2009) in a poultry slaughterhouse and the breast muscle was removed from carcasses and divided into two parts: one part was used to measure pH and colour, and to assess thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) at three storage times (1, 3 and 9 days after slaughter) under refrigeration, the other part was frozen at - 20C° and freeze-dried to determine FAs profile. Results and Discussion: The pH value of the meat measured at 24 h after slaughter was significantly higher (P

The study evaluated the effect of amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus) grain (AMG) supplementation to diets containing linseed oil on the oxidative status, blood serum metabolites, growth performance and meat quality. A total of 132 90-d-old female Big Ray broilers were randomly divided into 3 groups of 44 broilers each (11 broilers per cage, 4 cages per treatment) and fed on a diet containing 50 g/kg linseed oil supplemented with 0, 50 or 100 g/kg AMG, respectively, for 32 d. At the end of the experiment 30 broilers (10 per treatment) were sacrificed and breast muscle samples were prepared for analysis. Growth performance was significantly lower (P

Il pascolo può influenzare notevolmente le caratteristiche organolettiche del latte crudo con particolare riferimento alla composizione in composti volatili aromatici quali terpeni, alcoli e chetoni. I formaggi legati ad un determinato territorio sono infatti vincolati ad un ben preciso patrimonio di biodiversità biologica. La qualità nutrizionale e sensoriale dei formaggi tipici è caratterizzata da molteplici aspetti come l'alimentazione dell'animale, la materia prima utilizzata, nonché l'ambiente di caseificazione e di stagionatura. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è stato di valorizzare il formaggio Plaisentif che viene prodotto nel periodo estivo nei pascoli in quota delle Valli piemontesi Chisone e Susa, mediante lo studio della frazione terpenica di pascolo, latte e formaggio, utile nel contempo ad evidenziare eventuali marcatori del territorio di produzione.

Lo scopo principale era di confrontare le caratteristiche di conservazione delle carni di gruppi di suini nutriti con diete contenenti alti livelli di grassi saturi e diete la cui componente lipidica era prevalentemente formata da grassi polinsaturi, addizionati o meno con Liofenol, al fine di proteggere il prodotto carneo dalla perossidazione lipidica e nel contempo migliorarne gli indici aterogenici e trombogenici a fini salutistici

Over the last few decades, oils and fats have been added to commercial feeds to increase energy at low costs, but the use of animal-fat supplements has been limited, due to the risk of disease transmission, and as a result searches for alternative and economic energy sources have been undertaken. Palm oil is one of the most common and cheapest vegetable oils produced in the world today, and for this reason it is the one that is used the most as an energy supplement to obtain higher productive results in animal rearing. Several studies have evaluated the effects of adding palm oil to poultry and livestock diets on the dietetic value and/or the quality of meat. This study has the aim of reviewing the use of palm oil and its by-products in animal feeds and the influence of this dietary supplementation on the fatty acid composition of muscle and adipose tissue in ruminants, pigs, rabbits and poultry.

Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a summer annual plant of the Labiatae family that is native to southern Mexico and northern Guatemala and is of interest because it can be cultivated to produce oil for industry and meal for human consumption. This study aims to review the nutritive quality of chia plant and seed in animal nutrition. Chia plant that can be preserved by ensiling has also been studied as a possible source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) for ruminants with the objective of determining the fatty acid profile and nutritive value of the seed and of the plant collected at five progressive morphological stages. The chemical composition and ensilability characteristics of chia at cutting and at progressive morphological stages from the vegetative to the budding stage and the tendency of chia to be conserved as silage when this crop is harvested at cut or at three wilted levels are illustrated. Chia seeds are rich in PUFA, with their main components being linoleic and ?-linolenic acid; furthermore, they contain some compounds, such as myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol, which act as potent antioxidants, while it contains no toxic factors. Chia seed and meal have not shown any of the problems associated with other PUFA sources such as flaxseed or marine products, such as fishy flavour, animal weight loss and digestive problems. Chia seed is high in protein and fibre, and can be used for animal and human food. The nutritional advantage of chia seed in rabbit nutrition will be reviewed. The inclusion of chia seed in rabbit diets is effective in improving the n-3 PUFA content of meat, but increases lipid oxidation in hindleg meat.

Relazione tecnico-scientifica delle attività condotte nel Progetto "CCCP - Caratterizzazione-Controllo-Certificazione-Plaisentif"

The present work investigates the trend and characteristics of lipids, and considers the feasibility of vibrational spectroscopic (NIRS) prediction, in twelve crops (borage, chia, false flax, flax, galega, hemp, niger, perilla, quinoa, ravizzone, safflower and sunflower). A total of 143 samples, harvested at different growth stages, were collected and processed as freeze-dried or oven-dried specimens. As plants grow, a proportional increase in linoleic, stearic, oleic, palmitic, arachidic and palmitoleic acid and a relative decrease in the total lipids and in other four fatty acids (FAs) were observed, but only the ?-linolenic acid (ALA) decreased significantly. The ALA mobilization over a 20 day term was almost -15% of its mean value. In order to express the dynamics of the lipid trend, two maturity indices were calculated: a quantitative indices, i.e. total lipid maturity indices (TLMI) and a qualitative indices, i.e. fatty acid maturity indices (FAMI). Both indices were calculated as the sum of the standardized deviates of the total lipid content and of the twelve FA percentage contents, respectively, which were weighted with +1 or -1 on the basis of whether the regression coefficient increased or decreased over time, respectively. As a result, the twelve species were more differentiated in FAMI (6 levels, with borage being the most mature and sunflower the least mature) than in TLMI (3 levels, with false flax being the most mature and ravizzone, hemp and quinoa being the least mature). Application of the maturity indices formulae to the results of published experiments has shown that it can be a meaningful and simple way of interpreting the experimental effects concerning the anabolism of lipids in the pre-reproductive phase of the crops. Overall, the prediction of the lipid composition of the crops, by means of NIRS, has proved to be equally efficient for the two preparation methods (ratio performance deviation, RPD =2.11 for the freeze-dried samples and 2.03 for the oven dried ones, respectively). However, although FAMI was not well predicted in the oven-dried samples (R-square in cross-validation 1-VR =0.51), it was predicted slightly better in the freeze-dried samples (0.68). The species (0.90 and 0.92), the days after seeding (1-VR =0.78 and 0.73) and the ALA content (0.77 and 0.76) were predicted well in both kinds of samples. It has been concluded that the lipid trend maturity may be summarized by means of simple indices in any kind of experiment that attempts to modify the ontogeny of crops. The driver FA is ALA, whose prediction may be obtained through a rapid NIRS examination of conventional crop samples.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the dietary supplementation of artichoke bracts (AB) on the carcass characteristics, the chemical, physical and meat quality traits of rabbit meat. 120 weaned crossbred rabbits aged 38 days old were used and divided into three groups that were fed with different isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets supplemented with AB at 0%, 5% and 10%, respectively. At the end of the trial 12 animals per group were slaughtered and samples of dorsal muscle were taken in order to perform laboratory analysis. Carcass parameters were not affected by treatments excepting for the slaughter weight. Meat quality traits and oxidative lipid stability were not influenced by AB supplementation except for the meat ether extract content that increased from 0.68 to 0.94% on fresh matter basis with the increase of the AB supplementation (P

There are prospects for using novel feeds from various sources to provide ruminants with alternative sources of protein and energy such as by-products, and animal wastes. Rabbit feces are a concentrated source of fiber and could have commercial potential both as input biomass in anaerobic processes for biogas production, as well as a fibrous source for ruminal degradation. The aims of this work were to assess the potential as ruminant feeding and as biogas production of rabbit feces, in comparison with 12 crops. The chemical composition and the potential and experimental in vitro true digestibility (IVTD) and neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) of 148 feces samples were determined by using chemical methods, Daisy system digestibility and/or NIRS predictions. The average biomethane potential (BMP) was 286 ± 10 lCH4/kg SV with -4% vs. the crops average. Milk forage unit (milk FU), IVTD and NDFD of feces were 0.54 ± 0.06 milk FU/kg DM, 74% ± 3% and 50% ± 5%, respectively, with comparisons of -19%, -11% and -24% vs. the crops average. Reconstruction of the potential values based on the chemical constituents but using the crop partial least square model well agreed with the NIRS calibrations and cross-validation. In a global NIRS calibration of the feces and crops the relative predicted deviation for IVTD, NDFD and milk FU were 3.1, 2.9 and 2.6, respectively, and only 1.5 for BMP. Running the Daisy system for rabbit feces in rumen fluid gave some inconsistencies, weakened the functional relationships, and appeared not to be correlated with the potential values of IVTD and NDFD. Nevertheless, the energetic potential of feces appears to be similar to some conventional crops at different degrees of maturity. Thus we conclude that rabbit feces has potential value as a ruminant feed and for biogas production.

The aim was to characterize, monitor and certify Plaisentif, known as the "cheese of the violets", produced with raw milk from cows fed on pastures in the Chisone and Susa valleys (NW Italy) when violets are in bloom. A preliminary study was conducted over the summer of 2013 on five Alpine dairy farms to determine the fatty acid (FA) composition and terpenoid profile for the first growth cycle in permanent meadows, and for milk and ripened cheese. The pastures showed a wide diversity both in FA and terpenoid profiles. Among FAs, the most abundant were ?-linolenic acid (from 40 to 61% of total FA) and linoleic acid (from 13 to 31% of total FA), while p-Cymene and ?-Pinene were the most important terpenoids. As far as milk and cheese FA content are concerned, palmitic and oleic acid accounted on average for 47.2 and 47.7% of total FA, respectively. Healthy FAs, such as ?-linolenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid, showed mean values of 1.4-2.1% of total FA, respectively. Terpenoid profiles of milk and cheese were very similar, even though a slight concentration of some terpenes in cheese was observed compared to the corresponding milk. Moreover, Alpine highland pasture modified the FA and terpenoid profile of Plaisentif cheese, while processing milk into ripened cheese did not affect its FA composition and terpene profile with the exception of eicosapentaenoic, butyric and caproic acids among FA, and limonene, p-Cymene and allo-Ocimene among terpenes.

This is the first attempt to describe Plaisentif cheese. Plaisentif is a traditional cheese produced in the Western Alps and obtained from the raw milk of cows fed on pastures during the violet flowering period. This cheese has never been studied. The aim of this work was evaluate the safety status of milk and cheese and some basic physical-chemical parameters. Samples of milk, and of cheese at the end of ripening (60 days), were collected from nine Alpine dairy farms. Content of dry matter, protein, fat and ash, as well as pH and water activity (Aw) were evaluated. The microbiological parameters considered were: coagulase-positive Staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae, Salmonella spp and Listeria monocytogenes. The final mean values of pH and Aw for cheeses were 5.39 and 0.963, respectively. Salmonella spp was found neither in milk nor in cheese. Listeria monocytogenes was found in one sample of milk. Enterobacteriaceae varied between

Il connubio vino rosso e salute è stato recepito dall'intera comunità scientifica mondiale. Pur tuttavia, la presenza di etanolo pone problemi e condiziona l'uso di questa bevanda, anche per motivi culturali, religiosi e di intolleranza. Per questo motivo, l'azienda agricola Ca' Novella in collaborazione con Norton Technology ha concepito un prodotto denominato LiofenolTM, derivato da vino rosso piemontese certificato biologico, privo di alcool che mantiene inalterate le caratteristiche del fitocomplesso di origine con ottime percentuali medie in peso di polifenoli ed antociani. E' ben noto dalle linee guida nutrizionali per la salute dei consumatori che il contenuto in acidi grassi polinsaturi (PUFA) della carne animale dovrebbe aumentare anche attraverso formulazioni zootecniche concepite opportunamente. Per questo scopo, in collaborazione con il Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie dell'Università degli Studi di Torino e l'Istituto di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari del CNR, è stata avviata una sperimentazione per il miglioramento della qualità nutrizionale della carne attraverso l'integrazione del prodotto LiofenolTM nell'alimentazione dei suini da allevamento, inoltre sono state valutate e confrontate le caratteristiche di conservazione delle carni di gruppi di suini nutriti con diete contenenti alti livelli di grassi saturi e con diete contenenti prevalentemente PUFA addizionati o meno con LiofenolTM.

The present research was designed to study the effects of artichoke bracts (AB) supplementation on the performance and apparent digestibility of growing rabbits. A total of 120 rabbits were kept in individual cages and divided into three groups of 40 animals each. Rabbits were fed ad libitum with three diets (0, 5, or 10% of AB). All diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric and to meet all the essential nutrient requirements of growing rabbits. The effects on growth performance and nutritive values were studied during 58 days. In vivo apparent digestibility trial was studied at 51 days of age and the digestion coefficients were calculated according to standard procedures following the indirect digestibility method, using acid insoluble ash as an inert marker. Results showed that the final weight, weight gain, feed intake, crude protein apparent digestibility coefficient did not differ significantly among the dietary treatments. However, significant differences were observed in feed conversion rate and in other apparent digestibility coefficients amongst the 0% AB group and the two supplemented groups. Artichoke by-product is a valid feed ingredient due to its good chemical composition and it could be used satisfactorily as a supplement for rabbits at levels of up to 10% AB in the diet, even though a best digestibility was found in rabbits fed diet with 5% AB.

Introduction. The conservation of local rabbit breeds, characterized by slow growth, is very important for organic farming, because in most cases production regulations prohibit the use of commercial hybrids. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two different housing systems on the productive performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of the local grey coloured rabbit population of Tuscany (middle-west Italy) compared to commercial hybrids. Material and methods. 88 rabbits of local populations were housed in colony cages, in open air (GO) organic rearing system; 84 rabbits of the same autochthonous populations (GI) and 80 hybrids (HI) were housed in colony cages in conventional rearing system. An organic diet, composed by pelleted feed and alfalfa hay, was given ad libitum. Thirty animals of each group were slaughtered at 103 days (autochthonous) and 90 days of age (hybrids), and carcass and meat quality parameters were assessed. Results and discussion. The HI group showed the lowest live weight at slaughtering age, the poorest productive performance and the highest mortality. GI group showed the highest live weight and more favorable feed conversion ratio compared with GO group. GO and GI groups showed higher hot carcass and dressing out percentage and lower incidence of full gastrointestinal tract percentage than group HI. Hind leg meat-to-bone ratio was significantly higher in HI group than in GO and GI groups (4.7% vs. 4.0% and 3.8%, respectively; P

An experiment has been conducted to study the effects of increasing levels of Perilla frutescens L. seed (PFS) in the diet on the performance, meat quality traits, lipid oxidation and fatty acid profile of rabbit fat and meat. Thirty weaned, crossbred (Carmagnola Grey×New Zealand) rabbits aged thirty days and weighing on average, 1120±193 g, were divided into three groups of 10 (five male and five female rabbits each). Three levels of PFS (0, 5, or 10%) were included in isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets. The experimental period lasted 50 days. The performance and meat quality traits were not affected by the dietary treatments. The impact of the PFS enrichment of the diets on the oxidative stability of frozen rabbit meat was significant, but with low values and without any important effect on the meat quality. The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration in the longissimus dorsi muscle and perirenal fat was significantly increased with increasing PFS inclusion, while the saturated fatty acid (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) decreased. The n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio of the rabbit meat decreased from 6.53 in the control group, to 1.00 in the 10% PFS group. These results shown that the use of a diet supplemented with PFS is effective in reducing the saturation, atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes in the rabbit tissues.

A considerable amount of evidence has been accumulated to support the view that some fatty acids [conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), alpha linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)], which are found in food of animal origin, have beneficial effects on human health. Their consumption levels are insufficient in most Western diets. Over the last 50 years, there has been a change in the predominant concerns about the diets and health of school aged children. However, the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of most animal food are very variable. In this research, the dry matter, ash, crude protein, ether extract and gross energy contents, fatty acid profile and health indexes have been evaluated in the food of animal origin present in the summer and winter menus of Italian schoolchildren. The results have highlighted the importance of selecting the appropriate source of n-3 series polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA n-3) in these diets.

Farming systems in mountainous areas are generally based on local forage resources and the milk produced is transformed to typical and/or Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) high quality cheeses. Most of the milk is produced when animal diets are based on conserved forages, locally produced or purchased from the plain, which can also have an influence on the beneficial health fatty acid (FA) contained in milk fat. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different winter cow diets based on local and non-local forage resources on milk FA composition in a mountainous area. Forty-five Aosta Red Pied cows were fairly allocated into three groups and fed different diets based on local hay (LH), local haylage (LS), and hay purchased from the plain (LOH), respectively. Diets were supplemented with concentrate to balance for energy, protein, and minerals cow requirements. The high forage proportion of diets allowed to obtain milk with a relatively healthier FA profile, with good contents of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and unsaturated FA. Furthermore, the LS-based diet did not lead to any change of the milk FA profile compared to LH, thus allowing a better self-sufficiency of mountainous dairy farms.

The main constraint in the production of organic foods is the use of antioxidants in order to preserve their biological value. Synthetic antioxidants, such as BHT, BHA and ethoxyquin, cannot be used in feed for the production of organic food, as provided by EC Reg 710/2009 and subsequent implementing regulations. In this light it becomes necessary to replace the synthetic compounds with analogs of natural origin. Secondary metabolites from plants and agricultural by-products (ABP) of the agro-food industry represent a good source of natural antioxidants with high added value.

The main objective of this research was to study the variability of fatty acid (FA) concentration and composition in forage during the primary growth of one of the most typical grasslands in alpine regions. During two years, the grassland was sampled from May, when grazing would typically begin, to July, when haymaking was typically performed due to favorable weather conditions for drying forages. The total FA (TFA) concentrations of herbage, as well as nutritional quality, was negatively related to the plant age and decreased throughout the growing cycle. This negatively affected the forage concentration of ?-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3), the main precursor of health FA in milk fat, which decreased throughout the growing stages, showing a negatively relationship with the oleic acid (C18:1 n-9) both in grassland samples and in individual forage species. It has also been observed a different concentration of TFA between the two years, and the drought conditions recorded during 2003 could have negatively affected herbage FA concentration and composition. The higher forage concentration of C18:3 n-3, as well as elevated nutritive value, could be obtained by an early utilization of the sward by grazing or harvesting, providing a greater amount of FA precursors in animal diets, with consequent positive effects on milk FA profiles. However, proper management and particular attention must be paid in year characterized by moderate to severe drought stress, which could negatively affect the TFA concentration of forages.